Flyers Edge Caps in Wild OT Win | Betts Out a Month

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com

BOX SCORE

Maybe the most interesting thing about the Flyers three games into the season is that they have found different paths to victory.

Win by shutout. Win by slow, deliberate pace. Win by sprint medley against the highest scoring club in the NHL.

That’s the latest after Tuesday’s exhilarating 6-5 overtime thriller against the Washington Capitals at the Wachovia Center.

“We don’t want to get involved in a track meet with the Pittsburghs and the Washingtons of the world,” said head coach John Stevens. “I think we’re built just a little bit differently, but we do have an exciting offensive team and I think you saw that tonight, but we’re going to be a little bit different in hopefully shutting the game down a little bit more.”

The downside to all this is the loss of the Flyers’ best penalty killer, Blair Betts, to a dislocated right shoulder for at least a month. And rookie James van Riemsdyk will be re-evaluated on Wednesday for a possible concussion.

That was just part of a record-breaking affair. Team captain Mike Richards became the first Flyer to get a hat trick in a home opener. Matt Carle, playing brilliantly, had a career-high four assists.

All four assists came in a seven-goal second period, tying an NHL record for most assists by a defenseman in a period. It last happened on Jan. 29, 1998 when Rob Blake did it for Los Angles against Calgary.

“Every time I made a pass or threw a puck on net, it turned into something good,” Carle said. “I never had that happen before in the NHL. But it’s a good feeling.”

Danny Briere got the game-winner on a rebound against relief goalie Jose Theodore at 3:52 of OT.

“They’re fun once in a while but I know the coaches won’t like watching the tape,” Briere said of the bizarre game. “Once in a while, it happens, games break open. It’s a good sign because the first two games on the road, I thought we followed the game plan defensively, and we didn’t give up much to Carolina and New Jersey.”

In this one, there were breakdowns galore on both sides as Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin each scored twice.  Ovie scored one off a Chris Pronger turnover, too.

“It was certainly and up-and-down battle, a lot of mistakes but it was how we responded afterward that matters,” Pronger said. “We had the 2-1 lead and I make a mistake and it was 2-2. Then, 3-2 for them and it looks like things are slipping away but we bounced back.

“It was a yo-yo hockey game. But at the end of the day, we continued to push, had confidence in ourselves and we won the hockey game.”

What is critical here is that the Flyers are building an identity by winning games under different circumstances.

“It does [help],” Pronger said. “Not every game is going to be 1-0 or 2-0. There’s going to be tight games and other games where a lot of goals are scored, especially with as many power plays as there was tonight.”

The Flyers were solid on the PP going three-for-nine while holding the Caps to one goal in five chances on the PK.

“We gave up too many goals tonight to make that statement, but it’s an area of focus for us,” Stevens said. “Going on the road and playing as well as we did, the Carolina game was a tough game and special teams won that game, and I thought the Jersey game we took it to another level and gave up very little. 

“And then to come home, it’s a tough situation with a team like Washington coming in here.  I like to see a new team have success early because it builds confidence in each other, because we have a lot of new faces in our lineup.”  

Ray Emery went the distance for the Flyers with 31 saves. He liked the pond hockey approach, even though Ovechkin and Semin were buzzing him all night.

“I like playing against those types of guys,” Emery said. “It’s a good challenge and you can really have an impact in a game like that. Sometimes the score doesn’t indicate how you played. I’m just happy that we won tonight and that we were able to stick with it.”

What a remarkable individual second period, can-you-top this battle between Ovechkin and Richards. Ovie scored twice while Richards upped his goal total on the season to five with his hat trick, tying Ovechkin for the NHL lead.

The Flyers led 4-3 in the third when Semin re-tied it. Brendan Morrison then regained the lead for the Caps at 9:32 with what appeared to be a skate kick off a rebound before Scott Hartnell made it 5-5 with the team’s third power-play goal.

Two of Richards’ goals on starter Semyon Varlamov came on the power play. His third goal at 14:07 came off a Carle dump-in pass from that fooled the Caps’ defense, who allowed Richards to play it directly off a carom for a 4-3 Flyer lead.

The lead in that period changed hands three times.

“Some nights the puck finds your stick,” Richards said. “It’s good to score goals. We have to cut down on the turnovers. Against a good team, it’s going to end up in the net. That happened tonight but it was positive that we found a way to win the hockey game.”

Richards broke a scoreless tie with a one-timer from Carle on the power play at 1:37 of the second period. Less than a minute later, Ovechkin tied it. Emery, who looked sensational in the first two games, was reduced to mere mortal status against the high-flying Capitals.

At 4:33, the Flyers regained the lead during a delayed penalty as Kimmo Timonen roofed a shot from the point. Three minutes later, Pronger, on the breakout and under pressure from the charging Ovechkin, passed it directly to Nick Backstrom. Ovechkin was already at the net for the return pass when he backhanded the puck.

Washington took a 3-2 lead at 12:26 when  Semin challenged Braydon Coburn, who had his head down instead of looking up, as the flashy Russian toe dragged the puck on his across the blue line for a nifty goal.

Richards tied it at 13:49, and then gave the Flyers a 4-3 lead off the weird board carom. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau yanked Varlarmov for Theodore at that point.

So, the Flyers prove they can wing it with the Capitals and next comes Pittsburgh.

“Yeah, well I think when you look at our team, there’s no doubt in our minds,” Briere said of racing against the NHL’s Ferraris. “Yes, they have their top line that’s front loaded.

“But, I like the look of our four lines and our defense. We’re getting a lot of offense from our defensemen right now. I definitely like our team and I know that we can play defensive games, offensive games, no matter what happens.”

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net